Step Aside Big Banana, Here Are Some Other Stupidly-Sized Things From Around the World

Step Aside Big Banana, Here Are Some Other Stupidly-Sized Things From Around the World

There’s something uniquely Australian about having large-scale replicas of various objects. From the Big Banana to the Big Prawn, it seems like we’ve got it all here down under. But we aren’t the only ones who have these giant objects, so we’ve compiled a list of a few of our favourite big things from around the world.

Here at Gizmodo Australia, we often love talking about tiny little things, like the world’s smallest robots or tiny microchips, but I think it’s about time we talk about big, huge things.

Just speaking of Australia, we’ve got the Big Potato, Big Prawn, Big Banana, Big Merino, the Big Pineapple, the Big Lobster, the Big Golden Guitar and the Giant Koala (which is rather terrifying) just to name a few. My personal favourite is the Big Bogan in Nygnan, NSW.

big things around the world
Image: Wikimedia

Look at him, isn’t that just what we all think of when we think of Australian males? It’s definitely what I’ve seen on Tinder.

Why are we so obsessed with big things? Surely there’s something Freud would unpack here.

Is it because we as humans want to feel as small and dainty as possible? Is it because we need to be reminded of our insignificance? Perhaps we want to know what an ant feels like.

So many possibilities and not enough time to figure out the answers. Instead, let’s take a look at some more random big things from around the world.

Big things from around the world, a series

Big ball of paint – Alexandria, Indiana

Big things around the world
Big things around the world. Image: Atlas Obscura

The world’s largest ball of paint started in 1977 when Michael Carmichael’s toddler covered a baseball in a layer of paint for fun. For some reason, Carmichael began adding a thin layer of paint to the ball each day for years.

Now, the baseball has 2,267 kg of paint on it with a circumference of over 4.2 metres. It has over 27,000 layers of paint on it and apparently, Carmichael and his family still add to it every day.

Big Flying Bowling Pins – Eindhoven, the Netherlands

Big things around the world. Image: Christian Mueller

Eindhoven, a city in the Netherlands, found a really unique and interesting way to make a median strip more fun.

Sure, some might think of putting pretty flowers or some shrubbery down a street but not Eindhoven, who decided to put a giant game of bowling there instead.

I say all median strips in the world should have some fun giant thing in the middle of them. Imagine how exciting roundabouts would be.

Big Saw – Tokyo, Japan

Image: Guggenheim

The Big Saw is located at the Tokyo International Exhibition Centre where there are several pieces of public art.

However, the one that catches our eye is the Big Saw which stands 15.4 metres tall.

No one is actually really sure why it’s there or what the giant saw cutting through the ground means but hey, that’s art right?

Big Pineapple – Bathurst, South Africa

Big things around the world. Image: Trip Advisor

The most interesting thing about the Big Pineapple in South Africa is that we also have a Big Pineapple here in Queensland. 

Even more so is the fact that it’s in a South-African town called Bathurst, which we also have.

South Africa’s giant replica is 16.7 metres tall (ours is only 16 metres) and sits on pineapple country. Inside the 3-floor structure is a museum of sorts where you can learn about the pineapple industry and buy locally produced paraphernalia.

You can also climb to the top for a 360 view of the Indian Ocean.

Big Thumb – Paris, France

Big things in the world. Image: Cool Stuff in Paris

This one really makes me giggle, because why? Why a giant thumb?

French artist César Baldaccini has sculptures all around museums in France (and the world for that matter) but this giant thumb stands out (like a sore thumb?) in the streets of downtown Paris.

The Thumb is 12 metres high and 18,000 kg and is a model of Baldaccini’s own finger.

What’s megalophobia?

Looking at all of these big things from around the world can be very amusing to most, but for some, it can be a nightmare.

Those who suffer from megalophobia have an intense fear of large objects. They will experience anxiety and fear when they think about or are around large objects.

Sorry megalophobes, no big prawn for you.


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